simonjrwinter Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Had to post....Just got back from a glorious 3 day weekend in Devon, car ran superbly, REMARKABLE mpg! (will post figures tomorrow) Had the tracking done in Exeter, was 13 degrees out!!!! seems to steer a bit better now funnily enough! Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Rover 3.5 engine, stage 1 heads, Holley carb, Hurricane cam....31mpg, who would have thought it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fblue73 Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Not bad for a '63 Buick, huh? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Rover 3.5 engine, stage 1 heads, Holley carb, Hurricane cam....31mpg, who would have thought it? Funnily enough I would, as the last V8 TR7 that I had returned 32.5 mpg on a very fast (and I mean very fast ) run from London to Cornwall. I had to double check it at the time as I didnt believe it either. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi Simon, The Holley has often been described as "a bucket with holes", it's not the most economical of instruments in any application. A tuned Rover V8 with Holley is more like 20 than 30mpg in my experience. The Rover can be much better on SUs or EFI of course. It is all too easy to tune a Holley for economical cruising, and then find that under serious load it's running way too lean. A situation that usually evidences itself in terms of valves or pistons deteriorating, with extreme prejudice, or if you're lucky just a blown head gasket.. If it was my car, I'd put it on a rolling road with an operator used to V8s running Holleys, simply to ensure that it is in fact achieving sensible mixture and timing through the rev range. Cheaper than terminated pistons or valves. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I forgot to add my one was on SUs so should have been ok. Plug colours were ok as well. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Had to post....Just got back from a glorious 3 day weekend in Devon, car ran superbly, REMARKABLE mpg! (will post figures tomorrow) Had the tracking done in Exeter, was 13 degrees out!!!! seems to steer a bit better now funnily enough!Simon Hi Simon If I was you I would take note and act on Alec's reply, take the plugs out and have a look Regards Neil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi Simon If I was you I would take note and act on Alec's reply, take the plugs out and have a look Regards Neil Thanks chaps, I did that today, they all look a good uniform grey/brown colour, possibly VERY slightly rich. I need to get a leveler on the carb as it's been set up in the standard rover position for tail end of the engine down so as the engine is pretty level now, the carb is tilting very slightly forward. A 5 degree plate should set it straight, then I'm going to overhaul the carb and fit some see through level plugs to set the float height. Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi Simon, Holleys usually do run slightly rich on sensible cruising. The problem comes when you give it serious stick, as we found out years ago in KEH, the road 7V8. Plugs looked absolutely fine at cruising speeds. The problem came in over 4,000rpm and got worse as you rev higher - which in the case of KEH is over 7,000rpm. Fortunately the head gaskets blew in time ! Better that than the pistons. I suppose it might do 25mpg driven sensibly, but there's not much point in driving a 7V8 sensibly Good to hear you're enjoying the car, it looks appealing ! Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 enjoying it?.....I LOVE it! Thanks again all. Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) which in the case of KEH is over 7,000rpm. Jesus Alec what have you got in the bottom end of that engine ? Titanium and how far will she go? Regards Neil Edited June 3, 2009 by ntc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 No idea what's in the bottom end Neil, never bothered looking . . . . It's a bit of an oddball engine, originally came out of an early Gr2 SD1 racer that was totalled in the 80s, and then mothballed until it went into the TR7 in 1996. The Efi had gone and was replaced by a Holley at that time. Years ago, when we had the heads off, a couple of more knowledgeable V8 engine men peered in and scratched their heads - as in what the heck is it using for lifters and rocker gear, and pistons come to that ? If it ain't broke, don't fix it . . . . new gaskets and wind them down hard. Touch wood it's still in one piece. No real idea what the power is, it's only once been on rollers and that was at Malvern - hardly a reliable guide ! I think only one V8 has put out more power there, but then it was my good lady who put it on the rollers and she didn't want to rev it above 5000rpm. I hadn't told her what it can rev to . . . . Subsequently she totalled it changing up carelessly on a slippery bit - not difficult, you can spin the wheels going from 4th to 5th all too easily. Hence reshelling it. It doesn't blink topping 7K and some, we proved that once keeping station alongside a furious S4 Porker, the driver wasn't amused . . . . even more hacked off when we drove round his outside on the next roundabout - we came out sideways and oppy lock, he came out backwards. Not a competent pilot. The previous owner, who built the car, had the throttle jam open at Goodwood, almost 8K on the telltale. Needless to say, it's awful thirsty . . . . even with a 3.08 diff. But on the other hand it's not that much slower to the ton than Bert's rally cars, and they're running 4 point something back ends. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 No idea what's in the bottom end Neil, never bothered looking . . . . It's a bit of an oddball engine, originally came out of an early Gr2 SD1 racer that was totalled in the 80s, and then mothballed until it went into the TR7 in 1996. The Efi had gone and was replaced by a Holley at that time. Years ago, when we had the heads off, a couple of more knowledgeable V8 engine men peered in and scratched their heads - as in what the heck is it using for lifters and rocker gear, and pistons come to that ? If it ain't broke, don't fix it . . . . new gaskets and wind them down hard. Touch wood it's still in one piece. No real idea what the power is, it's only once been on rollers and that was at Malvern - hardly a reliable guide ! I think only one V8 has put out more power there, but then it was my good lady who put it on the rollers and she didn't want to rev it above 5000rpm. I hadn't told her what it can rev to . . . . Subsequently she totalled it changing up carelessly on a slippery bit - not difficult, you can spin the wheels going from 4th to 5th all too easily. Hence reshelling it. It doesn't blink topping 7K and some, we proved that once keeping station alongside a furious S4 Porker, the driver wasn't amused . . . . even more hacked off when we drove round his outside on the next roundabout - we came out sideways and oppy lock, he came out backwards. Not a competent pilot. The previous owner, who built the car, had the throttle jam open at Goodwood, almost 8K on the telltale. Needless to say, it's awful thirsty . . . . even with a 3.08 diff. But on the other hand it's not that much slower to the ton than Bert's rally cars, and they're running 4 point something back ends. Cheers, Alec Alec It sounds like somebody knew what they was doing when they built that lump Cheers Neil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 You're probably right there, Neil. Unfortunately I don't know who built it, it's an anonymous block. I've been told (by V8 engine builders) that it is probably one of the engines supplied by Rover to a handful of race engine builders in the early days of racing SD1s. Evidently these blocks lacked any meaningful form of identification, but are recognisable by the odd anomaly. Allegedly a means by which Rover distanced themselves from 'illegal' race engines. Whatever, it's of no significance in Triumph terms, it's just a quick old lump. Anyway, it's overdue for dragging out and MoTing, then a session on Pete Lander's new rolling road, and we might get it running right again. That may give more idea of the power, although as you're well aware I take such things with a bucket of salt. It's only for getting it back in tune, not to prove or measure anything. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean63 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Had to post....Just got back from a glorious 3 day weekend in Devon, car ran superbly, REMARKABLE mpg! (will post figures tomorrow) Had the tracking done in Exeter, was 13 degrees out!!!! seems to steer a bit better now funnily enough!Simon Somone on the forum was looking to put a V8 in a TR4 but I can't find them they were after help doing it. I know willow triumph at Darlington do spitfires and have done a herald. bet it goes well. Sean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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